Outdoor Christmas Magic: Transform Your Alfresco into a Festive Oasis
There is a distinct magic to an Australian Christmas. It isn’t found in snow-covered roofs, but in the golden hour of a balmy evening, the sound of prawns sizzling on the BBQ, and the seamless drift from the kitchen to the open air.
With modern floorplans designed specifically for our indoor-outdoor lifestyle, your Christmas Day doesn’t need to be confined within four walls.
With a few styling tweaks, your alfresco area can become the heart of the celebration – a space that feels festive, functional, and effortlessly stylish.
Set the mood with ambient lighting
As the sun sets, lighting becomes your most powerful decoration. Move away from harsh overheads and embrace a softly layered glow. Think festoon lights strung across a pergola, or solar-powered lanterns dotted around the garden edge to create depth.
You can see the impact of this in homes like the Clovelly 33 at Riverfield Estate . With its stunning timber-lined ceiling and overhead fan, the space is already grounded in texture. By adding warm, low-level lighting, such as a rechargeable outdoor table lamp, this area transforms from a simple outdoor spot into a twilight lounge, perfect for unwinding near the water feature.
Relaxed outdoor Christmas tablescape with linen, timber, and eucalyptus - at Bankside Estate’s Sorrento Grand Deluxe Theatre Atrium 54.
As featured above: Paisley & Hyacinth napkins (Chamois), Isabella Candle holders (Elme Living), Placemats (Madras Link), Christmas Tree White Tree Decoration (Madras Link) & Luna Candle holders on Tray (Pillow Talk)
A fresh take on the Christmas table
Outdoor dining calls for a relaxed approach to tablescaping. Leave the formal tablecloths at the indoor dining table and opt for textured placemats, linen napkins, and raw timber serving boards. For a centrepiece, look to the garden – a runner of silver-dollar eucalyptus or strands of pine instantly smells like Christmas without blocking the view across the table.
This connection between dining and nature is best exemplified in the Sorrento Grand Deluxe Theatre Atrium 54 at Bankside Estate. The ash-grey paved spaces and timber stacker sliding doors completely dissolve the barrier between inside and out, allowing your festive table setting to feel like a natural extension of the home’s merry interiors.
Mastering the flow
The secret to a relaxed Christmas is flow. You want guests to drift naturally from the dining table to a lounging spot without feeling cramped.
The Cottesloe Grand Deluxe 42 at Smiths Lane Estate offers a masterclass in this zoning. With timber-look decking extending past the roofline to a sunny pergola and outdoor fireplace, it creates two distinct destinations: a structured area for the family lunch, and a cosy fireside zone for evening drinks.
To keep these zones functional, be smart with your festive styling. Don’t sacrifice valuable floor space for a sprawling 7-foot pine tree. Instead, opt for chic, space-saving alternatives that complement your layout like a tabletop tree placed on a drinks trolley keeps the space open for entertaining while maintaining the magic.
Hamptons-inspired Christmas entertaining in coastal whites, blues, and silvers—styled to perfection at Riverfield Estate’s Montpellier Grand 54.
Sophisticated palettes for a sophisticated soirée
Finally, let your home’s aesthetic guide your Christmas palette. If you love a Hamptons vibe, swap traditional red and green for coastal whites, blues, and silvers.
The Montpellier Grand 54 at Riverfield Estate captures this perfectly. The interior Hamptons styling meets outdoor sophistication in a rear open-plan living space designed to be the ultimate entertainer. It’s the “crowd pleaser” zone – the place where guests naturally migrate after dinner to savour the warm summer breeze on comfortable outdoor sofas.
Ready to elevate your entertaining game? Whether you are hosting a feast or enjoying a quiet family evening, the right design makes it effortless. Get inspired to create your own alfresco Christmas oasis by exploring our latest display homes today.